Coming Home
by RositaLG
Summary: What happens if Booth is sent on a training mission in Iraq before he gets a chance to ask Brennan for more? AU Rewrite of Season 5
1. Prince of the Lab

**A/N: This is just a short AU story that basically rewrites the second part of Season 5. Let's pretend that Booth wakes up from his coma, spends the next couple of months pining over Brennan a lá the real show, but then leaves for Iraq around episode 13 or 14 and never gets to make his move. That way, Brennan realizes that she needs him BEFORE the whole relationship is ruined. Deal? Thanks for your cooperation and your suspension of disbelief. Happy Reading!**

OOOOO

Booth sighed as he jogged over to the hut that was set up for overseas communications. It was Parker's 9th birthday and he was missing it. He had never missed his son's birthday before and he was feeling like a terrible father. He hoped that Parker understood. It was Parker, after all, who wanted him to go to Iraq to save lives. His sense of duty and a generous promotion had been the final reasons that he had agreed to train Iraqi soldiers. The six month training session had also put a serious dent in his love life. He and Brennan were finally getting to the point where he thought there might be something more than a partnership awaiting in their future. After all of the drama of his brain tumor recovery, they were finally comfortable with each other again, and damn it if Booth hadn't found himself falling in love with the forensic anthropologist ever since he went to his dream world and realized exactly what he had been missing out on.

He opened the door to the small building and took his place at one of the computers. Fighting back the yawn from being up since five, he glanced at his watch. It was almost ten in the evening his time which meant that it would be the middle of the afternoon in DC. He was calling the Jeffersonian, as Angela had promised to let Parker use the big screen to talk to his father. When the Skype call was finally answered, he was slightly shocked by what he saw. The entire crew was behind Parker's chair, waving their hellos.

"Dad!" Parker waved at the camera.

"Hey Parker! Happy Birthday!" He smiled, genuinely ecstatic to see his son in real time. "How are you? Did you get my present?" He asked

"Yeah! It's at home, but you'll never guess what happened today!" He said excitedly. "Everyone at the lab threw me a surprise birthday party!"

"They did?" He smiled.

"Yeah, and I got all sorts of presents. See? I got this fun hat that Angela made that says "Prince of the Lab" on it." He said as he proudly pointed to the crown sitting on top of his head.

"Because apparently, in order to be King of the Lab, you have to have a doctorate." She explained with a roll of her eyes towards Hodgins who was nodding and smiling.

"And everyone gave me these really awesome science tools so I can practice at home. Hodgins says that he'll take me to the park to study bugs."

"Insects." Hodgins coughed.

"Oh right, sorry, insects. And Cam got me my own badge so I don't have to use the visitor one anymore. Plus, she says that if I'm good, I can get on the platform."

"If…there are no dead bodies." Cam added, after seeing Booth's worried face.

"Right." Parker said. "And Bones got me this huge book about anatomy so I can start learning all of my muscles and bones. She said that someday, if I study really hard, I could work in the lab here." Booth glanced at Brennan who was nodding.

"That sounds amazing, big guy." Booth said honestly. "How are you doing in school? Are you keeping up with your homework like you promised?" He said, having to be the dad for a few seconds.

"Yes. When I get stuck, Max helps me."

"He does?" Booth said, surprised.

"Yeah, and Brent helps me practice for baseball so when you get home, I'll be able to hit your slider." He said with a chuckle.

"We'll see." Booth said as he watched his son. "I miss you, Bub."

"I miss you too Dad. When are you coming home?"

"Two more months." He said. "I'll be home in time for Thanksgiving, I promise." Parker's attention was over at the door.

"Mom just got here with the cake. I'm going to go blow out the candles." Parker said as he stood up. "Bye Dad!" He waved.

"Bye Parker." He watched as everyone waved before slowly leaving the screen. Parker was replaced by Brennan, who sat down in her empty office chair. "Don't you want any cake?" He asked his partner with a small smile.

"They'll save a piece for me." She said seriously, not realizing he was just giving her a hard time. "How are you doing?" Brennan asked. "Are you staying out of trouble like you promised?"

"Always. You know that." He said.

"You look tired." She pointed out.

"Thanks for that, Bones." He said. "Speaking of being tired, how are you doing with that replacement partner of yours? Are you keeping him in line?"

"It's not the same." She said honestly. "Agent Thomas tries, but I find that his best is often not good enough. We need you."

"Aw, Bones. You're gonna make me blush."

"We all miss you Booth. Even more than we anticipated." She said.

"I miss you guys too. And thank you, by the way, for taking such good care of Parker while I'm gone."

"He's one of us, Booth. Agent Thomas calls him a mini-squint because he's always following one of us around, asking a thousand questions. Hodgins thinks he can win him over with insects and slime but I think he's got more of a talent for reading bones."

"Please tell me that you aren't letting him play with remains." Booth begged.

"Only the bones in Limbo." Brennan defended herself. "I wouldn't want him disturbing evidence on a murder victim. And he's actually very good at inspecting bones." Booth groaned. "Are you making that noise because I let him touch bones or because he wants to grow up and work in a lab instead of in the field?" Brennan wanted to know.

"He's barely nine years old. Let him be a normal kid for a while and then he can decide what he wants to be when he grows up." Brennan smiled and glanced down at her desk. "I miss that smile." Booth said, his exhaustion eliminating any sort of filter that he might have between his brain and his mouth.

"What smile?" Brennan asked.

"Your 'Be quiet and let Booth think he won' smile." He said, knowing she was simply humoring him. "Trust me when I say that two months seems like forever when you're on the other side of the world from everyone that you love." Brennan's heart jumped at his choice of words and in reaction to the surge of emotion, she balanced herself out by being clinical.

"Time is a set social construct and therefore can't actually slow down." Brennan reminded him. "But I agree with your sentiment." She said. "I want you to come home as soon as quickly and as safely as you can." She requested. They stared at each other for a moment before Booth spoke.

"Listen, Bones, when I get back we should…"

"Bones, I brought you some cake!" Her head swung towards the door as Parker carried in a slice of cake for her. Grateful for the distraction, she waved him over.

"Thank you. I was just wrapping up your father. Come say goodbye." She said as she got up out of the chair.

"She meant, 'wrapping up _with_ me'. Right Bones?" Booth corrected from the other side of the world. She acquiesced to his knowledge with a smile. "Go have a piece of cake for me." He told her.

"Bye!" Parker waved again.

"Bye Parker. I love you. Be good." He added sternly. It was an image that he took a mental picture of, his two favorite people waving to him.

"Love you too." He replied.

"Stay safe." Brennan demanded and Booth nodded. And with that, she turned off the camera and they were gone.


	2. Puckish

Booth could not be happier as he tore down the room that he had been living in the past six months. He came to rest as he examined the photographs taped to his desk. Most had been sent from Angela in a giant care package. The first one was Brennan, fast asleep at her desk with a carton of Wong Fu's next to her. He removed the photo from the wall and turned it over.

_While we can persuade her to eat, we can't persuade her to leave her office. We need you! Come home! -Angela_

Booth smiled. It was his job to pull her away from the office. No one else could do it successfully. He looked forward to getting home so he could be the one to do so once again. He placed the photo in the envelope and moved on to the next one. It was taken of Parker at his birthday party. He was wearing his "Prince of the Lab" crown and Angela was kissing one cheek and Brennan was kissing the other, both of their eyes squeezed tightly shut as Parker smiled proudly into the camera.

_Prince of the lab surrounded by his adoring fans. – Angela_

The next one was sent from Hodgins. It was a candid photo of Cam, clearly taken covertly. She was covered head to heels in some sort of blue ooze as she wiped herself off with a towel.

_Experiment gone wrong. I thought you would enjoy. Stay safe out there. - Hodgins _

The next one was of the entire gang, including Caroline, who was holding a case folder in her hand and refusing to smile. Booth knew that she had most likely been forced into the picture against her will. He really truly missed them all, but it was the brunette in the corner who stole Booth's attention. He had been slowly working up the courage over the past few months to say what he needed to say to her. They had both said that they loved each other before, but it was always in a 'because you're my partner' kind of way and was usually spurred on by some sort of violent act that landed one or both of them in the hospital. Saying it outside of work was another situation entirely. He put the last photo in the envelope before zipping it up into his suitcase and grabbing his duffle. It was time to go home.

OOOOO

Brennan was sitting in her office staring at the clock. Booth's flight was supposed to get in at nine that evening and the day was dragging on. She couldn't concentrate on the paperwork in front of her. Attempting one more time to focus, Brennan sighed and looked down just as Angela walked in and knocked on the door.

"Hey. Do you have a second?" She asked. _I seem to have a lot of them today_, Brennan thought, but kept the irrational idea to herself and simply nodded for Angela to come in. "Booth comes home tonight." She said as she sat down across from Brennan's desk.

"Yes."

"What are you going to do to welcome him home?" Angela asked, letting the naughty tinge to her voice go unfiltered.

"Angela…" Brennan couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle.

"I'm serious Bren. Judging from the last time you guys spoke, he's ready for more. Ever since his brain surgery, Booth has been staring at you like you were a piece of forbidden fruit."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan said as she went back to the work in front of her.

"Yes, you do." Angela said, stealing her friend's pen and demanding some more attention. "This is your chance, Brennan. If you give him some sort of sign, he would know that you felt the same way and you two can _finally _be together." She stressed the word.

"We do not look at each other like pieces of fruit." She said, thinking her friend was ridiculous.

"True or False: You've wanted to sleep with Booth since the moment you met him." Angela demanded to know.

"True." She acquiesced reluctantly. "But sleeping with him and having a relationship with him are two very different things."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Angela said.

"Angela, he believes in God, marriage, fate." Brennan listed off on her fingertips. "He's never going to be fully satisfied until he finds someone who actually believes in all of those things with him. I don't want to get married, I believe that Christianity is basically a morality myth and that fate is a theoretical concept designed to make people feel guiltless in their own actions." She stopped. "I care for him, I do, but there are just some things a personal attachment cannot overcome."

"Okay, so we're back to Plan A."

"What's plan A?"

"He comes home a sex-craved soldier and jumps into bed with you and you guys have hot, passionate, and possibly very kinky sex for the next week." Angela stated. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"Time for you to go. I've got work to do." She said, dismissing her friend.

"I can imagine. If I were meeting Booth when he got off that plane, I'd be finishing a week's worth of work too." She teased as she left.

OOOOO

Booth sighed as he stared up at the departure board. His flight was delayed for yet another two hours due to the thunderstorm that was currently wreaking havoc across Germany. This was the last thing he needed right now. He called Bones and told her that he wouldn't be making it home as planned and had promised to call her as soon as he knew for sure when he would be getting in. In reality, he knew that by the time she got to the airport, he could be at home in his own bed and he didn't want to wake her up in the middle of the night just to pick him up from the airport. He decided it would be much more fun to surprise her at the lab the next morning instead.

Booth unlocked the front door to his apartment and sighed, happy to finally be home. He set down his bag in the entryway and noticed two pairs of shoes. One: a pair of sneakers he knew to be Parker's and the other: a pair of black boots that were the unmistakably property of Bones. He snuck down the hall, using his best sniper skills to not make a noise. With a glance to the living room, he smiled as Parker and Bones were sleeping soundly on opposite ends of the couch. Booth walked in and Brennan stirred under her blanket, aware of his presence. He smiled warmly at her and put one finger to his lips. He then bent down and touched his son's hair, giving him a kiss on the temple.

"Hey Parker." Booth said gingerly as he picked up his son to carry him to bed.

"Dad?" Parker asked sleepily as he woke up. "I thought we were picking you up at the airport?" He asked, clearly confused.

"I made it home on my own, buddy." Booth said as he moved him down the hall. "Now go back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow okay? We'll have breakfast." He nodded groggily as he turned over and Booth tucked him in. He allowed himself a few seconds of staring to take in the changes that had occurred since he had been away. Booth would never get over how much could change in a kid's life in six months. Once that was in order, he took a deep breath and headed back into the living room. Brennan was now standing somewhat self-consciously next to the couch, waiting for him to reappear.

"You were supposed to call." She said simply.

"Hello to you too." He said with a smile. "You were supposed to be asleep so I could surprise you tomorrow morning."

"I was asleep." She said as she pointed to the couch. "And it is morning." Booth just grinned broadly, glad to know that she hadn't changed while he was gone. However, the grin on his face made her even more self-conscious so she just kept talking. "Parker wanted to wait up for your call but I guess we…" He just stared at her, amused by her and her half-asleep ramblings. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.

"Nothing." He shook his head and made his way over to her. "I just missed you, that's all. Come here." He said as he wrapped her in a big hug.

"I missed you too." She replied as she allowed herself to cling to him for a moment. "Welcome home Booth." She told him when she finally pulled away.

"Thank you." He said, but his hands were still firmly resting on the small of her back and his eyes were still examining her, as if he were making up for lost time. Suddenly Brennan realized what Angela had meant when she had said that Booth looked at her like forbidden fruit.

"Are you hungry?" She asked as she released herself from his grasp. "We ordered Wong Fu's. I could heat some up for you." She needed to make herself busy, or Angela's words would get into her thought process and affect her more than she wanted them to.

"It's my house." Booth reminded her. "I should be offering you food." He said as he followed her into the kitchen.

"No, let me get it. I'm sure you're exhausted from traveling." She said, pulling out the food.

"Is everything okay, Bones?" He asked.

"Of course. Why?"

"No reason, you just seem a little…anxious." He said, hunting for the right word.

"I'm not anxious." She informed him. "I just want you to be comfortable." She handed him his plate of food.

"Bones…" Booth said, knowing that there was another reason. He gave her his best analytical stare. She relented.

"I'm not good with hellos." She said, as if that made perfect sense. Booth furrowed his eyebrows and waited for her to explain. "The people in my life always leave." She explained. "I've become very adept at saying goodbye and moving on." She explained as she put the rest of the food back in the fridge. "Aside from Russ and Max, you're the first person to ever come back. I'm not good at hellos." She restated her excuse. "And Angela…" She stopped herself, clearly more tired than she thought to let something like that slip.

"What about Angela?" Booth asked, still leaning against the counter, his mouth full of food.

"Nothing. I asked her advice about your homecoming and she was not helpful." Brennan said.

"Why? What did she say?"

"She was…puckish." She replied, her crooked smile flitting quickly over her lips, knowing Booth would know what she meant. He smiled at the term.

"What did she say?" Booth asked again. Brennan shook her head. "Come on, Bones! You can't say something like that and then leave me hanging. You know I'll just ask her tomorrow."

"Booth, you can't handle me being frank about sex. There's no way you can handle Angela, especially when she's being puckish." Brennan said, knowing she was right. But one look at his face and she had to cave. She forgot how charming he could be. "Fine." She said. "It had to do with you being a soldier in the desert for six months surrounded only by men and it made Page 187 look tame. She said something about it being my own patriotic duty after you so bravely served our country." Booth turned red at the reference to her book and went back to eating his Chinese food, contemplating that thought for a moment.

"Huh." He said out loud, hoping to distract from the fact that his mind was instantly in the gutter and imagining all of the sordid things Angela could have been thinking.

"Look, you're probably tired, so I'm going to leave you alone now." She said as she walked into the hall to put on her boots.

"Bones, wait." He said. "You met me at my house with my son, Wong Fu's, and stories about puckish coworkers." He tallied up the night's events. She looked at him confused. "Best hello ever." He explained with a simple shrug. She didn't hide her smile. He reached out his arms for a goodbye hug.

"I'm glad you're back." She said as she held him tightly.

"It's good to be back." He said honestly.

"Get some sleep." She told him as she pulled away.

"I'll try." He said, knowing the time difference was going to kill him for the next week or so. "I'll see you tomorrow?" She nodded.

"Good night." She said as she walked out of the apartment.

"Night." He replied before shutting the door. Brennan smiled as she practically skipped down the steps to her car. Booth was back.

OOOOO

Booth righteously strode into the lab the next morning with a smile on his face. Sleep deprivation be damned, it felt so good to be home.

"Booth!" Angela cried as she saw the agent enter the lab.

"Hey Ange." He said with a smile. "Oof! Good to see you too." He groaned as she squeezed him in a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here? You were supposed to take a few days. Get acclimated. Take some vacation time." Booth smiled.

"And miss out on delivering this?" He said as the FBI forensic team brought a gurney into the lab. "Hodgins, consider it an early Christmas present."

"Why?"

"Found it in a garden. Enough insect activity to clean the bones." Booth said, slightly creeped out.

"Booth's right. They are already practically defleshed." Brennan agreed as she began laying the bones out on the table.

"Did you bring me the insects?" Hodgins asked, his excited voice going a bit higher than he anticipated.

"I know I've been gone, but I'm not new." Booth said, an affronted look appearing on his face. "No, I pulled a Bones and told them to pack everything up and take it back to the lab." He said with a familiar wave of his arm. The forensics guy wheeled in an entire cart filled with individual species of insects in jars.

"Dude!" Hodgins said lovingly towards Booth. "You're officially my favorite G-man." He complimented him. Angela shook her head at her husband.

"That's not a compliment. You hate G-men." She told Hodgins. "And you." She said as she turned her attention to Booth. "Welcome home." She said as she walked away to pull Brennan by her elbow down off the platform and began talking to her in a hushed tone. Booth smiled as he saw Cam walking out of her office.

"You really didn't waste any time, did you?" Cam said as she walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Nope." He turned his attention back to Bones. "Bones, you can talk to Angela later. Right now we got a murder to solve. Chop chop!"

"How much did you miss saying that while you were gone?" Cam leaned in towards Booth facetiously.

"Too much." Booth muttered honestly under his breath before yelling again. "Bones. I'm serious. It's been six months. I can't do my job until you do yours. Let's go!" He said as he started walking towards the door. Brennan broke away from Angela and started up the platform to start examining the remains.

"It's like he's in murder solving withdrawal." Cam said to Hodgins with a grin, but he took no notice of his boss. He was already eyeing each of his new insects with great intensity.

"He won't hear you." Brennan explained seriously as she put on a set of gloves.

"Right. I'll leave you to it then." Cam said as she went back to her own business.


	3. Flying High

**A/N: So I just realized that I went from a chapter entitled Puckish to a chapter about hockey. The pun was NOT intentional, but my brain must have subconsciously made the connection… If there are hockey fans out there, forgive me for any lack of reality and remember I'm an American, I watch baseball. Sunsetdreamer, I'm looking at you. :)**

Brennan watched as Booth smiled happily from across the table at the diner.

"So Bones, tell me all about the last six months of your life." He said.

"What would you like to know?" She asked.

"I don't know, anything big or important happen?" He asked.

"I finished my paper on craniofacial reconstruction." She offered. Booth nodded.

"That's…good." He said, not knowing what else to say on that topic. Brennan knew that he wasn't looking for something like that.

"What can I say? With you gone, we all took a bit of a vacation. Aside from writing, I mostly spent my time trying to clear out bone storage."

"Were you successful?"

"We identified over one hundred people." She said.

"That's my girl." He said with a proud smile. Brennan tried to hide her smile at his statement. She had never wanted to belong to anyone, firmly believing that she was a grown woman and could handle herself, but there was something about the way that Booth said it that caused her to not mind so much. A loud crash came from behind the counter and caught everyone's attention. Grateful for the distraction, Brennan took the second to pull herself together.

"How are you going to spend your first weekend back in the States?" Brennan asked, wanting to hear about him for a change.

"I don't know. I didn't have any plans." Brennan smiled. "Why?" He asked her, suddenly realizing that she was up to something. She didn't say anything, just slipped an envelope across the table. He glanced at it quickly before turning his attention back to her.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Just a little welcome home present." She said.

"Bones, you didn't have to get me anything." He said.

"You don't even know what it is yet." She said. Deciding it would be rude not to accept whatever it was until he actually opened the envelope, he reluctantly reached across the table and picked it up. He opened the flap and peered in to see what the surprise was. The look of shock on his face told her that he was more than happy to accept the gift.

"Bones…" He said, pulling out the tickets for the next Capitals/Flyers match-up that was taking place in a few days. "These are… impossible to get. How did you get these?"

"How do I get anything? My publisher." She answered with a smile. "I figured you could take Parker."

"These are on the red line." He said as he held up the tickets.

"Is that okay?" She asked with an unsure wince.

"Bones, they are the best seats in the arena." He said. "I can't believe this. Thank you!" He said as he stood up and walked around the table to hug her. She stood up to accept the hug and smiled.

"I'm glad that you are pleased. You deserve to have some fun."

"You have to come with me." He said. She looked at him surprised.

"I don't know the first thing about hockey." She said. "You would have a lot more fun taking Parker."

"It will be fun, Bones!" He said. "Parker's out of town with Rebecca this weekend, so he's out. And besides, I haven't spent any time with you for six months! We need to make up for lost time." He told her with his charming smile that he hoped would still work on her. Judging from the look on her face, he hadn't lost his touch.

"Okay," she smiled. "If you're sure." She added.

"Yes!" He said happily as he raised his arms above his head victoriously.

OOOOO

Angela smiled as Brennan walked out of the bathroom in her brand new Flyers t-shirt. She had purchased it herself. She had made up some story about how it was part of sports culture and that as an anthropologist, it was Brennan's job to blend in and follow traditional norms. Once again, Angela was never wrong when fashion was in play. The t-shirt fit Brennan like a glove, hugging her curves in all the right places. Her jeans and heeled boots completed the ensemble perfectly.

"Do I look like a hockey fan?" Brennan asked as she held out her arms.

"Honey, you look like you just stepped right out of Booth's personal fantasy. If he doesn't try to take you home tonight, he's officially gay." Angela said.

"Ange! That's not the point of this. He's my partner. We're just going to spend some friendly time together."

"Mmhm." She said, unconvinced. "I've been your best friend for six years and I have never gotten any "friendly" tickets from you." Angela smiled with a knowing look on her face. They both turned as they heard Booth's voice enter the lab. "He's here." Angela clapped her hands giddily. "Have fun, do something that I would do for once." She said as she pushed her friend's jacket onto her shoulders. Brennan smiled and walked out of her office to meet Booth.

Booth was smiling at Hodgin's joke when he saw her coming out of the corner of his eye. He had to do a double take. She seemed to be moving in slow motion as she made her way to the front of the lab. Her hair was curly and tumbled softly around her face in a way that reminded him of their time in Vegas all those years ago. The Flyers logo on her t-shirt was playing peek-a-boo from under her jacket, but he could tell that it clung to her chest in all the right ways and he couldn't help but run his eyes up her tight jeans, which made her legs look even longer.

"Dr. B, I didn't know you were a Flyers fan." Wendell said. Hodgins smirked as he took in her attire, knowing full well that she wasn't.

"Angela thought that it was necessary." She said, dismissing his comment. "Are you ready to go?" She asked Booth. You have no idea, Booth thought, suddenly very aware of how long it had been since he had been with a woman.

"Hm? Oh! Yeah, let's go." He said, escorting her towards the front door. She started walking towards the door, but Booth hung back for just a second longer.

"Thank your wife for me." Booth whispered out of the side of his mouth to Hodgins before scrambling to catch up to Brennan before he got caught. Hodgins just turned to look at Wendell before flashing Angela a thumbs-up sign as she watched from her office doorway.

OOOOO

Brennan noticed the way that Booth was looking at her all night and it made her feel good. She hadn't been with a man in two years and frankly she was going a little stir crazy. She tried to control herself, but every time Booth glanced in her direction, she felt wanted in a way that she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Booth was concentrating on the hockey game. This was one of the best games he had ever seen and thank God, because nothing short of these amazing tickets at this amazing game was going to be able to distract him from the sinfully tempting (and totally forbidden) partner sitting next to him. Ever since he had woken up from his coma, he had known exactly what he had been missing out on with her. Every move she made next to him reminded him of the way he had loved her in the dream, how much he had wanted her. It was torturous trying to remember to act the same way around her as he had before he had woken up.

"The game's almost over. What happens if it stays tied?" She asked as she leaned in close.

"Then we go into overtime." He said, trying not to focus on how great she smelled. She pulled away and Booth felt a combating sense of loss and relief. With only a few seconds left on the clock, the Flyers managed to shoot the game winning goal. The stands went nuts as Booth and Brennan both jumped out of their seats to hug each other. Realizing what they had done, they both pulled away quickly, the smiles still on their faces. They stayed and chatted about the game as they waited for the throng of spectators to leave the arena.

"I still can't believe that we won!" She said.

"So you had fun?" Booth wanted to make sure.

"I found this to be much more exciting that I originally thought it would be." She smiled. "I can understand why you love it so much." She said. Her cheeks were rosy from cool atmosphere around them and her eyes were shining brightly as she threw an arm around his. Booth thought she was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

"I'm glad. Come on, it's freezing in here without all the people in the stands. I'll take you home." She nodded as she let him lead her out of the arena. Once in Booth's warm SUV, she remembered the way that Booth had been eyeing her all evening. It wasn't like him to notice her before, and if he did, he had never made it known. She wondered if this was another side effect of his brain tumor or if the sight of her in a Flyers t-shirt really made that much of a difference. As Booth pulled up to her apartment, he parked in his familiar spot. He met her on her side of the vehicle, remembering that she never let him open the door for her, even when she was injured. He rolled his eyes at her independence as she searched in her purse for her keys.

"Are you going to come up for a while?" She asked.

"Sure." He said, thinking her invitation harmless. They did this all the time before, right?

"Great." She said with a smile. They made their way up to her apartment in comfortable silence. She threw her jacket on the edge of a kitchen chair as she made her way into the kitchen to get them something to drink. "I've got beer or scotch." She offered.

"I'll take a beer." He said. He had to drive home yet, and scotch would only loosen him up even more than he was already. It was best to keep himself in check.

"There you go." She said as she handed him a beer and plopped herself down next to him on the couch.

"Thank you." He said. "For the beer and for the tickets. You're a great partner Bones." He smiled.

"I feel the same way." She said with a smile as she clinked bottles with him in an unspoken cheers. There was silence for a minute as Brennan turned to face him. "Can I ask you a personal question?" She asked Booth.

"Sure." He replied, not sure at all.

"In your dream, we were married, right?"

"Yeah." He nodded once.

"Just like the characters in my book."

"I guess so."

"What was it like?" She was honestly curious.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, you and I are so different in real life. I was just wondering how that could have possibly worked out for us." He chuckled as he thought about it.

"We were good together." He said. "It wasn't very different from our relationship now. I teased you about being a genius, you called me superstitious and overprotective." He smiled. "The only real difference was that we…" He caught himself before he said the words. "You know, that we lived together." He finished lamely. She knew what he had meant to say.

"Yes." She murmured. "I've always wondered what that would be like too." She admitted softly as she bit down on her lip. Booth stared at her, suddenly losing his ability to speak. Was she actually serious? She was teasing him. She had to be. She raised her eyebrow as she awaited his response. Her blue eyes went a bit darker.

"Bones…" He started, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

"Booth, it's okay. I'm just letting you know that you're not the only one who has dreamt about it." She said. "I was just curious what a relationship between us would look like from your perspective." She said honestly.

"It was everything that you would think it could be and more." He replied just as frankly as she had asked.

"Did we, how should I say this, 'break the laws of physics'?" She asked hesitantly, unsure if and when his puritanical upbringing would kick in. He swallowed hard as he fought the urge to jump her. Suddenly it dawned on him that she might actually be looking for that very thing.

"You looking for a play by play description here, Bones?" He asked, his voice tinted with sarcasm, but getting lower as his desire grew. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed at the thought of him describing his dreams to her. At her silence, Booth knew that was exactly what she wanted. He leaned in closer, hoping to tease her a bit, make her aware of the tortuous feelings he had felt all evening.

"You always came to bed after I was already asleep." He started, his voice low, but playful. "I would wake up to the smell of your perfume and the feel of your creamy, soft skin against my own and your lips on my bare chest." He looked her in the eye, wanting her to be aware of what he was saying. "I can still feel them on my skin." He admitted. "And the way your soft hair felt beneath my fingers." He reached up and ghosted the silhouette of her curls, never letting himself actually touch her. "It was like being in heaven for a few glorious days and then waking up to find out that you had returned to your old life." He looked into her clear blue eyes and he couldn't help but get a little lost within their depths. These were the eyes that had haunted him when they were together and even more when they had been apart. It was their connection that translated into a successful partnership by day and a friendship that was unlike any other by night. He could feel her getting closer, but his mind didn't comprehend what that meant for them until her lips hit his. The pull towards her came from deep within him and he knew that there was no denying it. Suddenly, his senses exploded into color as he experienced the familiar taste of his partner for the first time in years.

To be Continued…


	4. Flying High Pt II

A/N: I know what you all are thinking…ANOTHER update? Yeah, the first four chapters were pre-written, so I am officially out of material to post. This is the last fast one for a while. Sorry to spoil you all and then rip them away. My goal is to finish my other stories so I'll have more time to dedicate to my new ones. Let's see how that pans out…

Previously…

_He could feel her getting closer, but his mind didn't comprehend what that meant for them until her lips hit his. The pull towards her came from deep within him and he knew that there was no denying it. Suddenly, his senses exploded into color as he experienced the familiar taste of his partner for the first time in years._

OOOOO

Brennan was intoxicated, drunk on Booth. She was caught up in a vortex of passion that she hadn't planned on entering, but now refused to leave. She would die here, in his arms, his tongue against hers, before she dared to break the connection that she had been craving for so long. Unfortunately for her, Booth realized what they were doing and broke away suddenly. Brennan was surprised to hear herself let out a whimper at the loss of contact.

"What are we doing?" He asked her. "This, this is…" He couldn't bring himself to say wrong when it felt so right.

"Booth," She spoke his name in a near whisper, but she said it in such a way that demanded his attention. "Do you love me?" She asked, staring into his eyes. Booth felt the air rush out of his lungs like he had been kicked in the chest. He had heard her ask that question before; in a dream world that had haunted him even after he had awoken from it. Hearing her ask the question now, when his eyes were open, let him know that it was a sign from God. This was the moment he had waited for. He placed his hand on the side of her neck so his thumb could caress her cheek. She leaned instinctively into his palm, looking at him with the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

"Yeah, I do." He said, knowing that it was true. The time, the space, nothing had changed the way that he felt. In fact, the distance had only made him more aware of his feelings for his partner. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"I love you too." She said. The only sound the couple could hear was the beating of their own pounding hearts. "These last six months without you…" she paused. "I know it sounds irrational, but I, I felt like a piece of me was missing." She admitted shyly.

"It's not irrational." Booth assured her quickly. "It's not irrational at all. I felt it too." He kissed her passionately again, unable to control himself now that he had finally heard those three words he had longed to hear. Like every other aspect of their relationship, they dueled for control. A soft moan escaped the back of her throat as he began to trail his kisses down her neck and onto her collarbone. She tilted her head to the side, willing to give him full access to whatever he wanted. Brennan knew that she could get lost in him if she let herself, but she wasn't quite ready to surrender to him just yet. She pushed him into the couch, straddling his lap. He pulled her up so that she was on her knees and his lips found their way up her neck. She didn't know how, but he found the space behind her ear almost instantly and she let out a moan of pleasure at the contact, pressing herself into the hard plane of his chest. Without saying a word, she shrugged her jacket off and heard it fall onto the coffee table behind her. Booth smirked in such a filthy way that she had to stop and reassess how well she actually knew her partner.

"This t-shirt really turns you on, doesn't it?" She said, liking the fact that one singular item of clothing could bring him so much pleasure.

"Honestly?" He said, and she nodded. "It's the hottest thing I've ever seen in my entire life." He admitted. "But right now, it has to go." She smiled in agreement and raised her arms as he slid his hands up her torso and removed the t-shirt. He turned his attention to the sinful scrap of black lace she called a bra.

"Jesus, Bones." He said, feeling himself grow impossibly harder at the sight of her. She ignored his praise and reached around him, pulling his own Flyers apparel off quickly. She was rewarded with his desert-tanned skin, a beautiful bronze that accentuated his perfectly sculpted torso. She felt the wetness between her thighs grow as she began peppering his shoulders and chest with kisses, desperate to feel every ounce of skin under her lips. He was content to let her have control momentarily, knowing that once he took over, he wouldn't stop until she was screaming.

She ground into him and he let out a hiss at the denim on denim friction. She grinned at the noise and wanted to hear it again, but Booth had had enough. He ran his hands up her jean-clad thighs and slid them under her. Her ass, impossibly firm from years of martial arts and yoga, felt like perfection in his hands. He stood up, with every intention of taking her directly to the bedroom. She cooperated by wrapping her legs around his waist, but it put them in a position that made both of them forget where they were going momentarily.

After finally arriving at their destination, Booth set her down on the bed gently. He immediately went to work removing the offending jeans from her body. He paused to admire her in her black attire, but only briefly. She sat up on the edge of the bed and was face to face with his Cocky belt buckle. She slid the belt off slowly and her nimble fingers made quick work with the fly off his jeans. Booth pulled his wallet out of his pocket, preparing to grab the condom that he kept in there, but she simply shook her head.

"Birth control." She murmured as she stood up in front of him and slid a thumb into each side of his boxers, disrobing him all at once. His brain flashed back to the day she had undressed him at the lab and how hard he had tried to concentrate on something other than her hands on his skin. He kicked the jeans to the side and let out a groan as Brennan kissed her way down his thigh as she removed his each of his socks. Booth, now fully naked, reached down and lifted her back to her feet. He slid his hand around her waist and up her back to unclasp her bra, freeing her swollen breasts from the quickly tightening material. He pulled her close to him, one hand under her thigh and the other on the back of her neck as they tumbled together on top of her bed.

"God, you're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." He said honestly as he let his hand stroke up and down her thigh. Before she could respond, he leaned down and captured a nipple in his mouth greedily. He was rewarded with a breathy mix between a gasp and a sigh. He switched sides and let his fingers test her silky folds. "So wet for me." He muttered in between kisses as he trailed down her pale stomach. Her fingers intertwined in his hair as he paused exactly where she wanted him the most. He looked up and locked eyes with her once again, their physical foreplay coming to a standstill while their mental foreplay began. He silently asked her if she was ready for this, because there could be no going back once that dam had broken. In response, she whispered her request.

"Make love to me." His heart filled with emotion at her words and he slid the last remaining obstacle between them to her ankles. She kicked them off and Booth took his place between her thighs. He kissed her one more time before sliding into her. They both stilled as they relished the feeling of finally being physically united. Brennan came to her senses first.

"Booth…" She reminded him of the task at hand with a tight squeeze of her inner muscles. "Please…" He nearly blacked out from the sensation but he couldn't help but smile at her impatient urging.

"God, I love you." Booth murmured in her ear as he granted her request to continue. In response, she moaned in pleasure as he found his rhythm. She matched him thrust for thrust as they both worked to send the other into oblivion first. The one-upmanship and competitive nature of the individuals had always made them better as a team and this was no exception. Booth shifted his angle. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he had her coming apart at the seams. The subtle change brought her closer to that end, but it also brought something he hadn't anticipated: the sound of her saying his name. The breathy desperate moan of his name on her pink lips brought him to his proverbial knees.

"Oh God, Booth!" Brennan cried as the fire inside nearly consumed her with need.

"Just let go, baby." He coaxed her. He had waited years to see her come undone underneath him and he refused to come before she did. Brennan didn't know how he managed to sound caring when his jaw was so tightly clenched but the juxtaposition of the two shattered her into a thousand pieces. Booth followed almost immediately, his control barely hanging on for her as it was. He collapsed next to her, sinking into the mattress as he worked to catch his breath. He slung his wrist up to forehead and stared at the ceiling. To say that his paradigm had just shifted was an understatement. He had just made love to his partner, his best friend, the one person in the entire world that the FBI said was off-limits, and it was everything he had ever dreamed that it would be. When he finally worked up the nerve, he glanced over in her general direction. She flashed a satisfied smirk his way.

"That was…" She started.

"Worth the wait?" He offered. She nodded with a giggle.

"I always knew that we would be sexually compatible." She said confidently. "All of the factors indicated that we would be a good match."

"There was nothing scientific about what just occurred, Bones." He said with a shake of his head.

"You have yours and I have mine." She said with a smirk. He knew that she was saying things just to annoy him so he yanked her back over to his side of the bed and pulled her on top of him so that he could kiss her senseless. When breathing became an issue, he pulled away.

"Can you still think straight or do I have to try again?" He asked.

"No, that was quite satisfactory." She said as she collapsed onto his chest. She would never admit it to him, but the concept of not thinking had never been so appealing.

OOOOO

When Booth woke up the next morning, he was only half-surprised to find himself alone in his partner's bed. He glanced around briefly before heaving a heavy sigh. He had wondered if this would happen. It was always the morning after when reality set in. Wondering just how far off the cliff she had already jumped, he got out of bed and threw on his boxers. He could hear her in the kitchen so he made his way quietly down the hall, hoping to analyze the situation before making his presence known. What he saw took him completely by surprise. Brennan was standing in the kitchen, wearing nothing but his Flyers jersey from the night before, standing on her tip toes as she reached into the cupboard to pull down two coffee cups. When she turned around, she smiled at the sight of him.

"Good morning." She said.

"Hi." He made his way hesitantly into the kitchen, now completely unsure of what was about to transpire between them.

"I hope I didn't wake you up, I just thought that we would have a lot to discuss this morning and it would be beneficial to be fully alert." I'm fully alert alright, he thought as he took in her outfit. She missed the lustful gaze because her back was turned but when she offered him one of the cups of coffee, she saw the familiar gleam of mischief in his eyes. He took the cup from her hands but promptly placed it down on the counter behind her, boxing her in between his arms, the counter, and his hard body. She smiled as she felt the reaction he was having to her.

"We have a problem." He informed her. She frowned at his serious face. "This is my favorite team." He informed her as he traced its hem along her thigh. "But now that I've seen you in a jersey, I don't know if I can ever look at one the same way again." She didn't say anything as he traced his thumb along her bottom lip, the predatory gaze of a sniper following its path with his eyes.

"If you want it back, you're going to have to take it off me yourself." She said, fully willing to compete with his teasing.

"I want you to come back to bed." He admitted. "Preferably with the jersey." She smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled them even closer.

"Did you ever fantasize about me like this?" She asked him in that low provocative voice he hadn't heard since she had first suggested that they could have sex all those years ago.

"I will now." He promised before lifting her up by her thighs and wrapping them around his waist. She laughed in surprise but didn't complain as he brought them back to the bedroom. Realizing that he hadn't even kissed her yet, he brought her in for a long, slow, kiss. He would never get over how deliciously sensual simply kissing her could be. Brennan had other plans as she flipped over so that she was on top of him.

"My turn." She said, taking control of the situation. Booth wasn't surprised by the action and frankly, the thought of her riding him had always turned him on. She straddled him and slid herself down onto him. Booth hissed in pleasure as the sensation of her smooth as silk core covered him tightly. She bent down, now on her hands and knees, and began to ride him. Booth's eyes fell into the back of his head as he met her from below. He let his hands stray up the jersey and clench her hips tightly as he brought them together in a perfect rhythm. Despite this being a new experience, they knew each other, inside and out and they worked in tandem to bring each other the maximum pleasure possible.

"God, Bones." Booth groaned as he felt her soft skin under his hands.

"Oh, Booth." She cried as he hit her G-spot perfectly. "Don't stop. Yes! Right there, I…" She couldn't finish as she came undone around him with a gasp, which in turn sent him falling over his own ledge. Brennan removed herself from his lap and fell onto the bed, unable to do anything but catch her breath. For the second time in the last 24 hours, they found themselves lying next to one another, trying to reconfigure their senses. Her entire body was humming with its centeredness and she knew that Booth was the reason why. When they were together, they were no longer two individuals having sex, they were one being. It was a concept that she had never believed in before, but now she fully understood what he meant when he said that making love was better than crappy sex.

"I think we just attempted to break the laws of physics." She chuckled as she glanced at him.

"Attempted?" He said, not believing that for a moment. "If that was attempted, I will never survive the real thing." She closed her eyes, understanding his meaning exactly.


	5. Consequences

Disclaimer: Whoa horse. Remember in the last chapter when I told you it would be awhile for the next update? I meant it. :S I can't say that you weren't warned, but I can tell you that I hate doing that to a story. Also, this was going to be the last chapter but I just kept writing and writing and writing, so I'm making it two shorter chapters and posting them quickly. Without further Ado!

OOOOO

Booth woke up to find Brennan, standing in her bra and underwear, chewing her lip as she stared into her closet.

"What's wrong?" He asked from his position on the bed.

"I'm trying to figure out what to wear this morning." She said. "I'm having some difficulties."

"Why?" He stretched the word out as it mixed with his yawn. Brennan didn't answer, simply lifted her hair from her neck. Booth's stomach did a somersault as he realized the markings that he had branded her with after a weekend of nothing but sex, food and sleep. Of course, he had his own markings, but they were hidden from view. He wasn't sure if it was because they were finally having sex or if it was because they hadn't seen each other in over six months, but either way, there had been times over the weekend where they had been frantic for each other. "Sorry." He said.

"For the contusions or for the sex?" She asked, knowing that he would feel guilty for the marks and trying to lighten the mood. "Because I don't regret either." She said with a filthy smile as she crawled back to him in bed to kiss him good morning and help him forget his guilt. Damn, she was good at that.

"Well, good morning." He could definitely get used to waking up to that. She smiled back as she kissed him briefly once more and left the bed. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"I have an idea." She said seriously as she made her way into the bathroom. Booth listened as she rummaged around in the bathroom and decided a shower would be a good idea. He left the bed and followed her into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and watched as she skillfully covered the bruises on her collarbone with make-up. Booth had a flashback to watching his mother cover bruises with make-up and his throat constricted. He knew it wasn't the same thing, but he had to be more careful with her. Brennan felt his stare and glanced over at him. At seeing his concerned look, she paused.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing." He said.

"You don't look like it's nothing." She said, hoping that he wouldn't lie to her.

"I hate that I hurt you." He said honestly. She sighed as she set down her concealer and walked over to him.

"You didn't hurt me. I wanted this. I begged and pleaded for this." She reminded him, the glint returning to her eyes. "I'm not made of glass, Booth. You know that better than anyone."

"I know." He nodded.

"So why do you look like that?" She inquired, pointing to his face.

"My mother used to…" He pointed to his own neck, mimicking the make-up application. He didn't have to finish as realization dawned on Brennan's face.

"I'm sorry." She wrapped him tightly in a hug, holding him close.

"It just reminded me." Booth said as he let her go, not wanting her sympathy. "I should shower before you run out of hot water." He tried to lighten the stifling mood in the air as he reached for the shower door. She nodded as she returned to her work, knowing that he needed some time to think.

OOOOO

When Booth appeared again, Brennan was dressed and drinking her morning coffee in the kitchen. Not a hair was out of place and there wasn't a single sign of the wild and carefree Brennan who had stayed in bed all weekend long. Booth's brain drew in the buttoned up lab coat all on its own and he didn't know how to proceed. This wasn't the Brennan who had walked towards him with curly hair and Flyers gear; this was professional Brennan, who didn't know what that meant and never cracked a smile while working. This was his partner. It had been six months since he had truly seen this side of Brennan and the bit of reality was like a slap to his face.

Where the Hell did they go from here?

They had never actually had the conversation she had planned for on Saturday morning, too distracted by the newness of their relationship and the sight of her in that jersey, and now he was forced to instigate the conversation on his own.

"So what's our plan?" He asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"For what?" She asked.

"About work, and you know, us."

"You want to know how we are going to tell people that we are having sex?" He stared at her.

"I was hoping that it was more than that but yeah." He said dryly. She smiled, both of them knowing that of course it was more than that. She sat back, pondering his question. He had always taken the lead on interpersonal relations and she had followed, knowing that he would steer her in the right direction. "What do you propose?" She asked.

"I have no idea." He said as he rubbed his stubbled face. He really needed to shave. "Look, I think we should keep this to ourselves for right now, until we come up with a plan. I have to go home and get ready for work. Can we get lunch at the diner?" She nodded, finding that to be acceptable and he kissed her goodbye.

"Wait." She said, as she pulled him back in for a longer, more sensual kiss. Booth was smiling like a fool when she broke the kiss. "What are you smiling about?" She asked.

"I like knowing what's underneath all that professionalism." He said simply. "It's like a hot teacher or librarian, except I have my own hot anthropologist." Brennan just furrowed her eyebrows at his ridiculous explanation and he kissed her on the forehead one last time. "I'll see you at the lab."

"Bye." She said, watching him leave.

OOOOO

"I have a theoretical question." Booth said as he strolled up behind Caroline as she walked the hallways of the courthouse.

"Here we go. Can't you see that I'm busy doing my job prosecuting bad people?" She asked.

"This is important."

"Theoretically important?" She threw his words back at him. There was a reason she was the best lawyer in the district.

"Yes."

"Do I even want to know?"

"I don't know." Caroline sighed, she did have a soft spot for the agent, but she would never let him know that.

"Make it quick."

"Great." He said before looking around and lowering his voice to a stage whisper. "Theoretically," he emphasized "if I were to start dating someone at the Jeffersonian, could the FBI remove my status as their liaison?" Caroline stopped dead in her tracks.

"That depends. Are you stupid enough to start dating someone other than your _theoretical _anthropologist and partner?"

"Theoretically, no." Caroline didn't know whether to slap him upside the head or hug him for finally getting his act together. She let a small smirk grace her lips before putting her game face back on.

"Hypothetically speaking, as long as you continue to work well together and your cases aren't affected, they would have no legal grounds to change your status. However, if something should change, your handsome behind would be parked behind a desk so fast your head would spin." Booth nodded.

"So the consequences would fall on me and not Bones." He clarified.

"_Theoretically." _She reminded him of the conversation limitations.

"Right, theoretically." He smiled. "Thanks Caroline. You are the best." He said as he squeezed her shoulder with his hand as he walked away.

"You're damn straight." She said as she took off for the court room.

OOOOO

"Hey Bones, ready for lunch?" Booth asked as he walked into her empty office. He glanced around, wondering where she could be. Deciding to check in Limbo, he headed for the stairs.

"Seeley." He froze in his tracks as he heard the sounds of one very upset Dr. Camile Saroyan behind him. What had he done to deserve that tone? He had no idea. He turned around very slowly and put on his best charm smile.

"How can I help you Camille?" He asked.

"My office. Now." She looked fit to be tied and he knew that she was the only person in the world that charm would have no affect on if she was truly angry. "I just got a call from Cullen. He wanted to discuss the effects of your recent announcement." Booth frowned.

"He told you already?"

"You didn't?" She slapped him on the arm. "This is my lab we are talking about. I know that I walk a very delicate line with you between being your friend and colleague, but this is one situation where I should be the first person to know either way!"

"I figured Bones would tell you. Go slap her arm." He said as he rubbed the spot.

"I can't slap her arm! She's my prize employee." She whispered harshly. "When did this happen?"

"This weekend." He said.

"And it's serious?"

"Would I risk getting fired if it weren't?" He asked her. "I love her, Cam. If I had to choose, I'd pick her." She sighed, knowing it was true and knowing that she had been preparing for this situation for a long time now.

"You could never just do things the easy way, could you?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" He asked with a wink of his eye.

OOOOO

"So how was your first hockey game?" Hodgins asked less than subtly. Brennan stared at him for a second, surprised by his interest and shrugged.

"It was fine."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes, it was quite entertaining. The Flyers won." She said non-committally as she examined the bones in front of her. Hodgins just smiled at her omissions.

"I'm happy for you two." He said simply hoping it would trigger a reaction to confirm or deny his suspicions. She looked up and furrowed her eyebrows as she realized that he knew.

"How did you…?" He grinned.

"Please." He rolled his eyes. "Five years of sexual tension and you walk out of your office looking like you did?" He shook his head. "There was no way it couldn't have happened. But don't worry, I won't say anything." He assured her.

"It's not a secret." Brennan replied.

"Really?" Hodgins said incredulously.

"I've always been completely honest about my life." Brennan reminded him.

"Yeah, but…" He looked around as an employee passed them. "What did the FBI say?" He whispered.

"I'm not sure."

"You haven't told them?" He said incredulously.

"Booth and I haven't even had the opportunity to talk about it."

"Oh man, there's nothing the Feds hate worse than being out of the loop." He said. "I mean, that's the reason the CIA was created to begin with." He started and Brennan had to put her hand up. There would be no stopping him if she didn't do it now.

"While we are in the lab, Dr. Hodgins, our personal lives will remain personal." She said. "Take this back upstairs and process it please." She dismissed him as she handed him a bag of evidence. He knew it was his time to shut up so he took the bag without another word and headed for the stairs. Hodgins found Booth heading down as he was coming back up.

"Hey Hodgins."

"Congrats man." He said with a pat on his back as he watched the agent continue down the steps. The comment was made before Booth could process it and when he turned around, Hodgins was gone. He walked the rest of the way down the steps and saw his partner, huddled over a skeleton with her ever present analytical stare.

"Lunch time Bones." He said as he tapped his watch. She didn't look up and acknowledge him, but she spoke anyway.

"Hodgins knows."

"I got that." He said. "So do Caroline, Cullen and Cam." That got her attention and she set down the femur carefully.

"What did they say?" She asked.

"Caroline gave me the courage to talk to Cullen, who said that as long as we remain professional and keep working with Sweets, he sees no harm in it. We don't get any mistakes though. One trip up and we're done." He said seriously. Brennan nodded.

"And Cam?"

"Cam hit me." He pouted as he pointed to his shoulder, looking for a little sympathy. He had come to the wrong place.

"Was it justified?" She asked as she cleaned up her work area and put the bones back in the box.

"She was just upset that she had to find out from Cullen instead of the two of us." Suddenly, Brennan froze. "What's wrong?" Booth asked, concerned.

"Cullen, Caroline, Cam, Hodgins…"

"No one told Angela." He said, realizing why she was panicked.

"Can we?" She asked reluctantly, knowing she had to cancel their lunch.

"Of course." He said. "Maybe dinner tonight? My place? I'll cook." She smiled.

"That would be nice." She kissed him on the cheek and she removed her gloves. "I'll see you then." She raced up the steps, hoping to catch Angela and Booth just shook his head as she left him alone with thousands of nameless skeletons. His life was never boring.


	6. The Senses of Home

A/N: Thanks for reading everybody!

OOOOO

When Brennan came to Angela's office and demanded to go to lunch with her, Angela already knew the reason. She had been the architect behind the last week's events and she was very, very good at her job. Between the not-so-subtle suggestion to jump Booth when he got off the plane to the carefully chosen outfit for their first real date, Angela knew that things were finally clicking into place for the pair. Not hounding Brennan when she got to work that morning had been the hardest thing she had ever done, but she knew that if something had happened, Bren would need some time to figure things out for herself. So when Brennan sat down at the table and said:

"I slept with Booth this weekend."

Angela was prepared.

She leaned back and smiled, delighted for her friend. Five years was a long time to wait, but it was totally worth it to see Brennan's smiling face.

"You're welcome." Brennan rolled her eyes and Angela leaned forward to get all the dirt. "So, tell me everything."

"Everything?"

"Well, the basic timeline of events. You left the lab on Friday night and…."

"Well, we went to the hockey game. It was very enjoyable and Booth seemed to be having a good time and he most definitely seemed to be interested in what I was wearing."

"You're welcome again." She interjected before letting her friend continue.

"And he came up for a beer and we started talking about his brain tumor."

"Romantic." She said, unimpressed.

"Well not about his tumor specifically, but I asked him what his side of the coma dream was like. What he envisioned."

"And what did he say?"

"He said that we were good together, in every sense of the word." Brennan summed up, wanting to remain discreet for Booth's sake. "The next thing I knew, we were kissing and then I asked him if he loved me and he said yes." Angela looked like she was about to explode with joy but she managed to keep it inside. "And I told him that I loved him too and we spent the rest of the weekend proving it to each other. He left this morning." She said as she took a sip of her water. Angela was practically bouncing out of her seat so Brennan smiled and gave her a nod and permission to speak. She just leapt from her seat and gave Brennan the biggest hug she had ever received. After releasing a squeal or two, she sat back down and beamed.

"I don't even know what to say." Angela said honestly, stunned by the news. "What triggered all of this?"

"I don't know. I missed him when he was away but when he came back, things were just…different between us. Booth thinks that it was just our time." Angela nodded.

"Took you two long enough." She teased. "What does this mean for your partnership?"

"Booth talked to Cullen and he gave us his permission. Under normal circumstances, it would be frowned upon, but because we are both exceptional at what we do, they are making…"

"…an exception?" Angela smiled. Brennan nodded. "Now comes the most important question: are you happy?" The grin on Brennan's face refused to be contained.

"Happier than I've ever been." She replied honestly. "It's scary, to feel so safe and loved in his arms. When I think about the possibility of losing that…"

"Hey." Angela said, demanding her attention. "You two have something that cannot be lost. Trust me. When you have someone who is willing to kill for you, die for you? That goes beyond love to something much deeper."

"What would that be?" She asked.

"Loyalty." She said. Brennan furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I've loved people in my life, but that love was fleeting, momentary. Real love lasts, even when you don't want it to. The love that you have for your mother, despite the fact that she is gone, that's loyalty. Real love ties us to each other forever. You and Booth have had that for a long time. You just didn't realize what it meant." Brennan stared at her, knowing she was right, but unsure of what to do with the new knowledge.

"Loyalty." Brennan repeated the word. Love had always seemed…scary. Loyalty seemed easier to deal with. It was easy to be loyal to Booth because he had always been loyal to her. Angela smiled.

"That's all there is to it." She said. "The rest will come naturally."

"Really?" Angela nodded.

"Don't think too much. Just enjoy it."

"I am." She said, confident that is exactly what she had done all weekend.

"Good."

OOOOO

When Brennan knocked on the door to Booth's place that evening, she was surprised to find that she was missing him already. After spending 72 consecutive hours with him, going all day and only seeing him for a few minutes seemed almost unbearable. She shook her head at her own needy thoughts. Wasn't it just a few days ago that she had gone 6 months without seeing him? Booth interrupted her thoughts as he opened the door.

"Hey." He said as he let her in. "You didn't have to knock."

"When I tell you it's open, you always scold me for not making you knock." She said, confused by his double standard.

"That's true." He said, willing to make her knock from now on if it set a good example and kept her safe.

"It smells delicious. What are we having?" She asked as followed him back into the kitchen.

"Vegetarian lasagna." He said as he pointed to the oven. "Can I get you some wine?"

"Wine would be wonderful." She said honestly.

"Hard day?" He asked. She ruminated on her thoughts before speaking.

"Not hard, just longer than usual."

"What happened to time being a set social construct?" He teased and she had to smile as she swallowed her sip of wine.

"Hmm, maybe I've been spending too much time with you lately." She teased right back. "I talked to Angela which helped."

"How did Angela take the news?"

"She was…enthusiastic and actually, incredibly helpful."

"How so?" He asked, honestly interested.

"She told me that you and I have had love and loyalty between us for a long time and that this new thing between us isn't actually new. The only difference is that now we get to enjoy every aspect of it fully." She said.

"Angela is a smart woman." He said, liking her advice. It was good to have her best friend in his corner. He knew how much influence Angela had over Brennan and if she could help ease this transition, he was all for it. The timer on the oven began to buzz and Booth reached for a pot holder. As he pulled the food out of the oven, Brennan took the opportunity to blatantly gaze over his expertly crafted body. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and she found herself wanting to run her hands over the tanned skin. She took another sip of her wine, attempting to make it through dinner without drooling over him. Now that she knew what she had been missing, she found that she wanted him more than ever.

They ate in peace, chatting about everything and anything that crossed their minds. When she had finished with her dinner, Booth cleared her plate.

"Do you have room for dessert?" He asked.

"That depends." She said, hoping that dessert would involve undressing him. He smiled as he read her dirty thoughts.

"Keep thinking what you're thinking, but right now, I literally meant dessert." He said as he placed two pieces of turtle cheesecake on the table. She knew right away that they were from her favorite place. She looked up at him in surprise. She had told him about the amazing cheesecake she had discovered while he had been in Iraq. She couldn't believe that he remembered.

"You remembered my favorite cheesecake?" She asked.

"You're memorable." He complimented her.

"You are too good to me." She said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Not possible." He said as he handed her a fork. "Consider it payback for the best hockey game of my life." He sat down as she slid the fork into her mouth and moaned. Any man alive, and some women, would have had an immediate reaction to the noise, but Booth felt her moan vibrating through his own body in a way that he would have never anticipated a noise could. He watched as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She asked, either completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him or completely aware and an utter tease. "It's delicious." She held out her fork for him to try some. "Rich and creamy, smooth and light. It's perfect." Yeah, she was a total tease.

"Like your skin." He said as he let his calloused trigger finger stray to the tender skin on the inside of her wrist. He took the bite of her cheesecake as she pulled her fork away and shook her head.

"We're not leaving this table until this is gone." She informed him, refusing to give in to his oh so tempting charms. He smiled and nodded as he picked up his own fork and stole a giant bite of her cheesecake. She scoffed as she pulled her plate away. "That's not what I meant!" She said, mocking offense at his action.

"Well then, you should be more careful of how you word things." He said with a grin. She rolled her eyes and he fed her a piece of his own cheesecake to make up for the loss. She reveled in the taste once more and Booth didn't mind openly staring. She met his gaze and quickly finished off the last few bites.

"All done." She smiled as she picked up her plate and brought it to the sink for him. When she turned around, Booth was standing right behind her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he inhaled deeply as he kissed her neck. Brennan smiled at the loving gesture.

"You are going to think I'm crazy for saying this." He warned her. She stared into his eyes and waited for him to explain. "When I was away, I would wake up in the middle of the night after dreaming about home and the thing that I would miss the most would be your smell."

"My smell?" He nodded.

"My car always smelled like your perfume. All of the shoulders of my suit coats always smelled like your shampoo after you would lay your head on my shoulder." She smiled. "You were present in every part of my life. Then, I moved to the desert with men who smelled terrible and all I wanted was to smell something….nice. You smell like home." She looked deep in thought and then she laid her head on his shoulder and took a deep breath.

"You smell…safe." She said, her eyes still closed and Booth smiled. "Big, warm, and comforting and…solid." She decided as she opened her eyes. She could definitely consider him to be her home. "Like home." She agreed. Booth got that now familiar glint in his eye and she knew that he wanted to take her right there in the kitchen.

"Stay tonight?" He asked, praying the answer was yes. She nodded and he picked her up and carried her off to his bedroom, ignoring her protests on behalf of his back. As they fell together onto the bed, a tangle of tongues and limbs, Booth knew without a doubt that there was no one else on this planet who fit him the way that she did. Their taste, their scent, their skin, was all tailor-made for the other. And as he slid into her, he knew that he was finally coming home.


End file.
